Radiator front



July 3, 1934. W` J, SHERRY 1,965,434

RADIATOR FRONT Filed Sept. 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WAHM 3, Sh'ewj R H l( emi: ATTSRNEY July 3, 1934.

w. J. SHERRY 1,965,434

RADIATOR FRONT Filed Sept. 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR RNEY Patented July 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT FICE RADIATOR FRONT Application September 18, 1931, Serial No. 563,509

3 Claims.

This invention relates to fronts for radiator enclosures and more particularly to fronts for recesses in which steam or hot water radiators and the like are contained.

In steam heating installations, radiators are mounted in openings in the walls of the buildings so that they do not protrude into the actual room space. A disadvantage of such arrangement, however, resides in leaving an opening in zthe walls which sometimes detracts from the appearance of the room.

An object of the invention is to provide a front or closure member for radiator openings in walls and the like.

l5 Another object of the invention is to provide in closures or fronts of the character described adjustable openings for regulating the amount of heat radiated from the installation.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a front or closure of the character described constructions such that the member can be adjusted for uneven floors.

According to the present invention, a front or closure for radiator recess is provided of such character that the gap in the wall formed by Such recess is substantially closed and the member for this purpose is of such construction as to closely resemble the normal wall surface. The member consists briey of a plate which can be mounted within the recess to have its surface form substantially a continuation of the wall surface. Doors are provided in each end of the plate to permit access to the radiator Valves as desired. In order that the amount of heat radiated can be controlled independently of the radiator valves, a part of the plate is cut away to form a louVer and a slideable plate is mounted behind this louver movable into position to cover part or all of the openings. The slideable plate is capable of being locked in any desired position to regulate the openings in the louver. At the base of the plate, members are provided vin the nature of feet, which members are. adjustable to compensate for unevenness in floor surface.

Other features, objects and advantages oi the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following detail description read in the light of the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a front or closure embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

(Cl.V 237-79) Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged section taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a similar section taken on the'line 5 5 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 6 is a similar section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 indicates generally the radiator door or front consisting of a plate 11, a part of which is cut away as indicated at 12 to provide feetmembers 13. The 55- plate 11 is substantially flat and has at the upper part thereof a number of openings 14 cut therein to form a louver. A part of the plate llis cut away at each end and the openings so formed are closed by means of doors 15 which may be 70- fastened in a manner to be described hereinafter.

Secured to the back ofthe plate 11 by spot welding or in any other desired manner are a pair of Zl bars 16 situated at the respective ends of the openings 14. A flat, solid plate 17 is mounted to slide in the channel formed between a portion of the bars 16 and the plate 11. A guide bar 18 is secured to the plate 11 and the plate 17 has upper and lower guide members 19 and 20, respectively, which guide members have openings through which the rod 18 pass. As shown clearly in Fig. 4, the upper guide member 19 is of substantially U-'shape and has an opening in one part thereof which is threaded and which 8- is in alignment with a threaded opening in the plate v1'?. A turn-screw 21 passes through these two openings with the ends thereof in position to bear against the rod 18. This turn-screw' 21 is mounted to pass through one of the openings 14 so that it together with the plate 17 can be moved up or down an' amount limited only 'by' the length of the slot 14 in which it rides. It will readily be seen that by tightening the turnscrew 217 the plate 17 can be locked immovable 95 by contact of the endV of the screw with the rod 18, and since the plate 17 is slideable within limits defined bythe length of one of the openings 14, the plate 17 can be locked in position to cover any desired part of these openings.

To the rear of each of the door'plates 15 is fastened a pair of Z bars 25'which are of such shape Yas to Vpermit the introduction into the space between the bars and the plate 15 of any edge of the opening in plate 11. On the opposite side of each plate 15 is secured a pair of spring clip members 26 which cooperate with complementary spring clip members 27 secured to the rear face of the plate 11. An angle bar stop member 28 is secured to the bottom of each of the doors 15 to aid in positioning these doors in their respective openings. In order to install the doors, it is only necessary to manipulate them so that a partial hinged connection is made by the meeting of an edge of the opening in plate 11 and the Z bars 25 after which the doors 15 can be locked in place by the interlocking of the spring clips 26 and 27. While in the drawings doors 15 have been shown at each end of plate 11, it will be readily apparent that a single door may be provided at either end as conditions may warrant.

Extending below each of the leg portions 13 of plate 11 and secured thereto are feet 30, a part of which as indicated at 31 extend behind the plate 11 and a part of which as indicated at 3.2 extend in front of plate 11. The part 32 may be of any desired conguration to add ornamentation to the installation. The manner of attaching the members 30 to the plate 1l consists of providing slots 33 in the portions 31 and a pair of bolts 34 are so fastened to the plate 1,1 as to extend through these slots 33. A wing nut 35 is threaded on to each bolt 34 to permit locking of the parts 31 against the plate 11.

To aid in installing the front, a pair of supporting members 40 are secured to the rear surface of the plate 11 at opposite ends thereof and each member 40 has a channel cut therein which causes the member 40 to assume substantially U-shape. Since it is customary to line the walls and ceiling of the opening with nishing plates, the two wall finishing plates 4l have extending inwardly therefrom pins 42 over which the members 40 may t. The finishing plates 41 may be secured to the wall structure of the building in any desired manner such as by screws 43 and the same is true of the top finishing plate 44 which is secured to the top of the recess by means of screws 45.

To aid in holding the radiator front in place, a. pair of spring clip members 50 are secured to the back of plate 11 at the ends thereof and these spring clips 50 cooperate with complementary spring clip members 51 secured to the to-p of the finishing plate 44. The interlocking of the respective clips is' shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 6.

The mode of installation of the closure is substantially as follows. The side finishing plates 4l are secured within the recess in proper place with the pins 42 extending in-to the opening in which the radiator is tol be positioned. The top finishing plate 44 may then be properly fastened in the enclosure. With these members installed and with the radiator positioned in its recess, the

'front 1.0 may be installed by so inserting it into the opening as to position the supporting members 40 over the pins 42 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. When so arranged, the front 10 may be rotated a slight amount about the pivotal point formed by pins 42 moving the top of the front 10 inwardly until the interlocking of clips 50 and 51 hold the front against casual movement. If the floor surface of the building adjacent the radiator recess is uneven in any manner, this uneveness may be compensated for by loosening the wing nuts 35 and pressing the members 30 downwardly into as close contact as possible with the floor after which the wing nuts 35 can be tightened. Access to these nuts is provided through the openings into which the doors 15 t.

Having installed the radiator front, access may be had to parts of the radiators by merely removing the doors 15 to facilitate which knobs 55 are provided on each door. If at any time it is desired to regulate the amount of heat radiated from the concealed radiator, such regulation may be effected by moving the plate 17 to cover or uncover as the case may be as much of the openings 14 as desired. As before stated, the plate 17 may be fastened in any position relative to the openings 14 to regulate the louver openings. By this arrangement, it is possible to control the radiation of heat from the concealed radiators without actually touching the Valve controlling the heating medium supplied thereto,

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a front or closure which operates to entirely conceal a radiator and which makes possible the regulation of heat radiation without recourse to the radiator Valves. At the same time, the front permits access to' radiator valves, etc., Without removing the entire installment. The front also permitsI of em'cient installation and of compensation for unevenness in fioor surface.

In View of the foregoing, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the illustrated embodiment which is capable of many modifications but is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1.. A front for a radiator recess,A comprising `a substantially flat plate, said plate being provided with a plurality of openings therein forming a louver, a solid flat plate slidable to cover said openings, and means for lockingr said covering plate in a plurality of positions relative to said openings comprising a guide barspaced from said first plates, guide members secured to said covering plate and slideable on saidl guide bar, and a combined handle and locking member passed through said covering plate for engagement with said guide bar.

2. A front for a radiator recess, comprising a substantially flat plate having an adjustable l in a radiator recess comprising members secured to said plate and engageable with pins projecting from the recess walls, and means for restraining said plate against pivotal movement about said pins, comprising spring clip members secured to said plate and engageable with complementary spring clip members in the top of said recess.

/VILLIAM J. SHERRY.

IDO 

